The Brief: Fans are declaring that SpongeBob is a LGBTQIA+ icon since Nickelodeon alluded to him being a part of the community in a Pride Month tweet.
DEEP DIVE
On June 13, 2020, Nickelodeon Tweeted a picture of SpongeBob SquarePants along with the caption “Celebrating #Pride with the LGBTQ+ community and their allies this month and every month.” Many fans took this to mean that Nickelodeon was officially announcing that SpongeBob is a member of the LGBTQ+ community and started posting memes to welcome him and celebrate his identity.
Celebrating #Pride with the LGBTQ+ community and their allies this month and every month ๐ โฃ
(๐จ: by @ramzymasri) pic.twitter.com/pENmTaQB0h— Nickelodeon (@Nickelodeon) June 13, 2020
Some fans are debating where SpongeBob, a character who has long been considered a gay icon, falls under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. In a 2018 interview with the show’s creator Stephen Hillenburg, he said of SpongeBob and Patrick “We never intended them to be gay. I consider them to be almost asexual.” Whatever the specifics of SpongeBob’s identity may be, many queer fans are taking this as a win for representation and celebrating Nickelodeon’s announcement.
Spongebob isnโt actually gay, however he IS on the LGBT+ spectrum. According to Stephan Hillenburg, heโs asexual. ๐ค๐ค๐ pic.twitter.com/Z5bevkrV8M
— โจKyโจ (@ky_starspiral) June 13, 2020
spongebob is asexual biromantic, thank you for coming to my tedtalk. pic.twitter.com/3K5wJDdBE4
— ๐๐๐ โ (@banditovee) June 13, 2020
Spongebob is a twink, squidward is an old queen, Patrick is a bisexual jock, Mr. Crabs is straight, Sandy is a butch lesbian, Plankton is a chaser
— little piss pants, PhD (@applyingforjob) June 13, 2020
LGBTQ+ SpongeBob Memes
The news about SpongeBob’s sexual orientation has Rule 34 artists sharing their fanart and others using memes to make comments about SpongeBob’s sexuality. Some social media posts suggest that it’s extraneous or even inappropriate for a cartoon sponge to come out as LGBTQ+. Others embrace SpongeBob as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and wish him a happy Pride month.
sees ace trending and i'm like oh god who's shitting on me now
turns out spongebob is asexual and everything is fine pic.twitter.com/WrB9aVivFR— novie (@leonardchvrches) June 13, 2020
Spongebob says, โGAY RIGHTS!โ pic.twitter.com/Lwy2CI3t2s
— SuperDevin64 (@SuperDevin64) June 15, 2020
Nickelodeon:
Meanwhile spongebob somewhere after his shift at nick studios: pic.twitter.com/MVs2TPuEh2
— Shintaro (@Mariya4Plastic) June 14, 2020
A Femboy Hooters reference:
I don't know how adding "Femboy" to the sign outside is going to make Mr. Krabs more money, but whatever. pic.twitter.com/SXFYuuH6Li
— SpongeBob SquarePants! (@FryCookinSponge) June 16, 2020
the straights: SPONGEBOB ISNโT GAY
then explain this.. there is no heterosexual explanation for this. pic.twitter.com/hbPlwXyi9h
— love, m. #BLM (@anselsthirdleg) June 14, 2020
homophobes surprised spongebob is gay????? pic.twitter.com/6Pq1Rtkk9o
— ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ (@alejandrosilvva) June 15, 2020